Glamorous
by Nymph92
Summary: Ever wonder why no one has figured out who Ladybug and Chat Noir are? There's a very simple reason that is often never explained unless inquired upon.


_Hello Miraculous Fandom! (Is there a specific name for it? I'm sort of new to the show.)_

 _This is my first fan fiction in a long time but I started watching Miraculous just to see if it was good and ended up bingeing every episode in two days and it spurred me to come back to this type of writing and fandomness._

 _I decided to write this piece to explain the whole identity issue that comes up in almost every show or book that has magic transformation that is never explained._ _  
I hope you all enjoy! Comment any thoughts you have and be nice please!_

 _Also, for the disclaimer I do not own Miraculous or any of the characters, just this story. And **SPOILERS** for anyone who hasn't watched Troublemaker or even from Dark Owl on just to be sure._

 _Enjoy!_

* * *

 ** _Glamorous_**

The night air was cool as a dark figure bounded from rooftop to rooftop as the sun was setting. Chat Noir was making his way home after taking care of the latest akumatized villain, the Troublemaker. This had be one of the closest times Hawkmoth had come to taking his and Ladybugs Miraculous. She actually had one of Ladybug's earrings for a longer period of time then even the Dark Owl had! If Troublemakers power to dematerialize included things she touched who knows what could have happened when Ladybug detransformed. If Chat hadn't been knocked away and then so focused on not destroying anything in the Dupain-Cheng house with his cataclysm, he _may_ have even caught a glimpse of who she was under the mask.

Chat Noir landed soundlessly on his balcony and slipped through his window just as his transformation wore off, leaving Plagg floating in the air next to him.

"I need twice as much cheese after all that happened today." He exclaimed, clearly tired.

"Yeah buddy, sure you do." Adrien said as he made his way to his mini fridge.

After giving his Kwami his food he made his way to his bed and collapsed face down on it. He rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

"That was such a close call, Plagg! Ladybug almost lost her Miraculous." He raised his arm over his head. "I don't know what would have happened then."

"You almost saw who she was though, if that's any consolation."

"Finding out who she is in the middle of a battle is _not_ how I want to find out her identity. I want to be able to know her civilian form on our own terms."

"How do you know you don't already?" Plagg whispered absent minded by the cheese.

He shot up from his bed. "It's not like I peaked! I was busy trying to not waste my cataclysm. Even if I wasn't I-I wouldn't have looked. Her trust is more important."

"I didn't mean that you did."

Adrien glanced at him, eyes narrowing.

"What do mean?" Recollection from the Dark Owl incident came back to him once again. "You saw her that time we had to de-transform in front of each other, didn't you? So _you_ know who she is!"

"Obviously."

Adrien's scowled and then his eyes went wide when he finally absorbed everything his Kwami had said.

"Wait, do you mean I know her? For real?"

Plagg just nodded as he stuffed the rest of his fist cheese piece in his mouth. Adrien blinked at him a few times, taking this new information in. He _knew_ her. In his civilian life. How is that possible? Surely he would be able to recognize her. Ok maybe not when they first met, but it's been months so surely he knew her well enough now to figure it out.

"How do I not recognize her then?" He mused out load, flopping back against his pillows.

"Ugh, do I have to explain it to you? I thought you were an anime nerd."

"Explain it to me please."

Plagg rolled his eyes. "It's magic. You run around in a magic suit that protects you from serious injury and you can degrade things with your hands. That's not the extent of the powers us Kwamis can give to our Miraculous bearers."

Adrien pouted at him. Like that means he knows what other powers he has and grants him when he's Chat Noir. Plagg waited a few moments before continuing. Hoping that the kid's extensive knowledge of anime and magical girls would actual be of some use.

"The suit and mask are imbued with glamour magic. Low tier, but strong nonetheless."

"Oh." Adrien said lamely. _Of course it is! Why didn't I think of that sooner?_

* * *

"Glamour? What's that?"

"It's a type of illusion magic that can conceal and alter appearances."

Marinette tilled her head as she took in Tikki's words. She was currently de-cluttering some of the pictures on her walls. Not that it mattered since the show was live and everyone had probably already seen the photos of Adrien plastering them when the film crew just waltzed into her room. She took them down nonetheless to try to ease her embarrassment, putting them in a small box that would probably be transferred to an album that would be much less conspicuous. As she did this she had been alternating between ranting and worrying over the possibility of Chat Noir seeing her for the moments when her transformation was coming undone during the battle with Troublemaker as well as how she was going to avoid Adrien tomorrow at school. Trying to calm her down, Tikki had said Chat was busy keeping his cataclysm from touching anything. She even let it slip that if he had it wouldn't be that bad since she knew him.

Not realizing she was talking about his identity Marinette said if he found out who she was today of all days she would die of embarrassment and shame since then Chat would _know_ who she liked. He would either be upset and give her the cold shoulder or just tease her about it. Tikki was getting more exasperated as her Miraculous bearer became more and more panicked and had uttered without meaning to that if it wasn't for the Glamour all this worrying would be pointless because they would probably be much closer. Marinette rolled he eyes at that but was curious about the Glamour.

"But our appearances don't change _that_ much for it to be an illusion? I mean it's not Like Rena Rouge's illusions."

"No, the Glamour that is imbued in all Miraculous holders' transformations are different. It's constant and what we call a low tier Glamour. It doesn't change what you see like other illusions and Glamour's, it changes _how_ you see."

"Huh?" Now Marinette was even more confused.

"It's quite simple really; it doesn't actually change your appearance much. Like for you, your hair and eyes just get a bit brighter, Chat's eyes become greener, nothing drastic. The big thing is it prevents people from making any sort of connections to your civilian identity. You would have to either tell someone your identity, have watched them transform, or be incredibly strong willed to break through it."

"Wow, so I guess that's why Alya has never made the connection after spending more time with me as Ladybug." She sat down in her chair and leaned on her desk where Tikki floated down to.

"It is surprising since she really wants to know your identity, if she was any more determined I don't think the Glamour would be enough." Tikki said. "And since her powers as Rena Rouge are illusions, once she gets a little stronger, it may not work at all on her."

Marinette gasped at her.

"You really think so?"

"Oh, yes. The Glamour is strong. You and Chat Noir haven't found out each others identities even after all this time; you both also act somewhat differently in and out of the mask though…" She mumbled the last part before continuing. "The Glamour is still a low tier illusion, however. The stronger a person's own mastery of illusions is, the easier it is for them to see through other illusions. Combine that with her sheer determination, and I'd say the possibility of that happening to be high."

Marinette had leaned back in her chair as she took in Tikki's words. That would mean the more often they needed Alya for backup, the closer she would be to discovering her identity, and Chat Noir's. She rubbed her hands on her face and let out a sigh. Would that be such a bad thing? After all, Marinette already knew her identity since she chose her to be the wearer of the fox Miraculous.

 _It would only be fair, and if she was going to find out anyway, she should just tell her herself beforehand, then she wouldn't be as upset that I kept it a secret, right?_ She thought. _But it would also mean having to know Chat's identity and vice versa so there wouldn't be any secrets that would make it seem like she didn't trust him._

* * *

"So eventually Rena Rouge will know who we all are, but I probably still won't be allowed to know their identities." Adrien said grumpily.

"Oh don't start. Ladybug will tell you eventually, I'm sure." Plagg was starting in on his fifth piece of cheese. Explaining things took way to much energy. "You just have to be patient and wait until she's ready. Besides she trusts you completely."

"I guess you're right, Plagg."

"Of course I am. Now if you've gotten the concept of the Glamour all set I'll-"

"What about the akumatized people?" Adrien interrupted him as soon as the thought hit him. "I mean sometimes it's hard to figure out who someone is, especially if I don't know them beforehand, but after a while Ladybug and I can figure out who they are based on what's driving them to attack others."

Plagg scowled and stopped mid-bite.

"That's because they don't have any Glamour added to their powers when they are transformed. So depending on how creative Hawkmoth gets with those crazy outfits he gives them, there's nothing to prevent you from making any type of connection to who they are."

"Why's that?"

"I have no idea, kid. Hawkmoth may not really care about their identities being know since in the end they won't be able to give away who he is. Or maybe he's just like most people and doesn't know anything about Glamour charms. It's not like we ever see him face to face, so he may think people would recognize him." He shrugged his tiny shoulders. Hey, he couldn't have _all_ the answers now could he?

"Now if you will excuse me I have cheese to enjoy."

"You really need to expand on your eating habits." Adrien said wrinkling his nose. He would never get used to that smell.

* * *

Both Adrien and Marinette stared up at their ceilings as they tried to get in a few hours of sleep. All this new information was swirling in their minds. For Adrien it was the fact that according to Plagg he already _knew_ who his lady was, but magic was making him blind to it. Or maybe, based on Plagg's explanation, he didn't have enough determination to break through the Glamour. That frustrated him more than the charm itself. If he loved her, wasn't that better than determination? The Glamour really was strong then. For Marinette, it was fact that they may have an unknown deadline where she would have to reveal her identity to Chat and Alya. The more she thought about it, the less excuses she could come up with in why that would be a bad thing. She trusted Chat Noir with so much more than anyone else in her life, why not her identity? And Alya was her best friend, who she trusted enough to give Alya her own Miraculous.

Sighing into their pillows, they both thought of how important their identities were and the importance of how and when they would share them with each other. Neither knew what to expect when that day would finally come. It would probably be amazing, and awkward, and nerve-wracking. It may or may not bring them closer depending on if they had any or no expectations at all.

But as they finally drifted to sleep, they each thought that when the time came, it would be Glamorous.

* * *

 _I hope this was enjoyable and informative! It always upsets me that no one gives a reason for identities not being revealed easily when it is so obvious to the fans on the outside. It's just summed up that they are super dense. I blame the creators of these types of shows who don't take two minutes to give an explanation especially when magic is present in the show. Let's be honest if there it wasn't a magical explanation for why they can't figure it out it's going to take something big for them to figure it out because they are a bit hopeless. That was the inspiration for this fic so there wasn't a whole lot of plot. If I write anything else I will definitely have that and more characterization. Well, on to my next project!_


End file.
